Steel Assassin
by Kuroda Kumiko
Summary: A young Turktobe, Metai Strife is extremely surprised when he catches sight of his supposedly lost brother, Cloud on the television. Forced to fight against him, can the two brothers somehow find a way to fight together?
1. A startling surprise

**Steel Assassin - A Final Fantasy VII Fanfiction by Kuroda Kumiko**

**Chapter One: A startling surprise** - Metai finds something startling on the television.

This little series marks my first ever fanfiction. I'm generally a poet, which is why it probably won't be very good. It's based on Cloud's younger brother, my own creation.

_Author's Note: I know there's no evidence of a brother in FFVII, but I just decided to make things interesting, as it's the only idea I could think of. :D_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters, nor am I making any money off this. I do, however, own the name Metei and his personality._

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Noodles really sucked after the third week of eating them twice a day. But who was he to complain? There was no other food and it wasn't even his room. Pushing the bowl down onto the table, he groaned and rolled over on the mangy settee.

The boy was of a tall stature, always had been. Some might describe him as handsome, but he never bothered to think about that kind of stuff. His hair was naturally spikey and raised, and was of a blonde colour. His eyes were a deep blue and of course, had that glow.. the glow of those that had been polluted by Jenova's cells. He was wearing his classic black outfit, kind of like long robes with sleeves. His longsword lay under the sette, as he had been asked to keep it there out of sight, so as not to disturb the 'tourists'. Yeah, right. No people came to this dingy flat. Therefore, it had been the first selection on his list. This boy hadn't been born in Midgar, like most people his age that lived here in the slums but had lived there for a long time. Well, not exactly the slums.. he belonged to the Company, Shinra.

He came to Midgar when he was fifteen, the same age that his older brother had. He was never in touch with him. Cloud also lived in Midgar, but he had no idea where or what he was doing now. He hadn't seen him in years.. and didn't particularly want to. Cloud had left their hometown, Nibelheim, looking for glory, to join the elite fighting forces of SOLDIER. But Metai Strife had never wanted to join SOLDIER. Instead, he had merely joined Shinra as a simple worker. He was quiet, solitary and serious. The idea of being told what to do all day didn't really take his fancy. But now.. he had worked his way to the top, from rank to rank over the past few years. Now he had been taken under his boss's wing, Shion Tseng, to be trained into a cold-blooded assassin.. a Turk. Metai now had no choice. He tried not to become like them, fierce and brutal, but the ruthlessness he had been forced to accept was now slowly creeping up on him.

And now, here he was, waiting for the call from Tseng to return to headquarters. They were all busy, 'finding history'. Yeah, right. Metai was unusually intelligent for his age, and had long worked out what they were searching for. The Promised Land, to get more of that stinking Mako. It had ruined so many lives, but thankfully had not worn too much out of Metai, except for the glow in his eyes.. he hated it. Tseng and a fellow Turk, Reno were out searching for the remaining Ancient. The Ancients.. just once, he sometimes thought that he would like to meet them. And ask them questions. Maybe even help them. Over the years, he had grown to hate Shinra.. despite the fact that he belonged to it.

_' ..where President Shinra spoke out loud to AVALANCHE today, the Mayor following his lead.. '_

Metai reached for the remote control. Those AVALANCHE terrorists.. they did make him laugh. Ironic, really - he knew they were something more. The planet was dying, and it was because of Shinra. For that, he hated them more. But AVALANCHE.. they were pathetic. There was no chance that they could help the Planet know. The Turks were trying to hush them all up, of course. _Must be pretty important if the President's getting involved.. hah, _he thought.

Suddenly, Metai's hand gripped the settee's arm so hard that it made his fingernails hurt. His eyes widened with shock and horror at the television screen. Three people were being met with President Shinra, with a broadcaster talking in the background. A pretty girl, a huge hefty man and.. at first Metai thought it was himself. Then he realised the third character was taller, looked older and had a gigantic sword, much broader than his own. But he had the same spikey blonde hair, the same blue eyes, the same withdrawn facial expression - there was no doubt. It was Cloud.

' Mr. Strife? Your bill will arrive shortly.. '

' I don't need it. I'm going, ' Metai replied shortly, before grabbing his backpack, stuffing the other belongings that were scattered about the room.

' But.. but, Mr. Strife! You've been here for three weeks! You - '

' Stand aside, ' Metei cut in, now with his longsword pointing at the housekeeper's throat. Squawking, she stood aside and he swept past her, hurry in his stride and nerve clearly displayed on his face. Extending an arm and reaching inside his cloak, he snatched his phone out and desperately raised it to his head after a frenzy of tapping.

' Hello, Shinra Headquarters, Floor number - '

' Yeah, yeah, I need to speak to Shion.. '

' Pardon? '

' Oh, I mean Tseng. '

' Do you have an appointment? '

' No, but I need to speak to him NOW. It's urgent! '

After hearing a large amount of whispering in the background, Metei waited, eyes darting everywhere. _I can't believe it.. when I see Reno, I'll strangle him, _he thought, new feriocity approaching his voice. He even felt differentely inside.

' ..yes? I'm busy, what is this urgent matter? '

' Tseng, it's me, Metei! '

' Oh? I thought I was going to call you with your next assignment? '

' Tseng, what the hell is going on? '

' Er.. what? '

' AVALANCHE! My brother's out there, and Reno's running after them with a fleet of soldiers! Why hasn't anyone told me that my own _brother _is in AVALANCHE? '

' I wasn't aware that you _did _have any relations amongst terrorists, Metei.. '

' Oh, please. You know full well he's my brother! Listen, has Reno changed numbers again? I need to - '

Metei was going to continue, but the battery went flat. Cursing under his breath, he glanced at it.. and realised that the charge was only half-way used. _What? Why the hell would Tseng hang up on me? _ he thought, but was now beginning to forget as he opened the door. Hesitating, he shrugged and placed 20 gil on the counter. _At least they get something, _he thought, grinning. He knew his bill would be about eight times that, but there were more important things now. He hadn't seen Cloud in years, he had no idea how he would find him, but the sudden appearance of his brother had changed him a little.

_I'm going to see my brother.._


	2. An unexpected visit

**Steel Assassin - A Final Fantasy VII Fanfiction by Kuroda Kumiko**

**Chapter One: An unexpected visit** - Someone familiar falls through the roof..

This little series marks my first ever fanfiction. I'm generally a poet, which is why it probably won't be very good. It's based on Cloud's younger brother, my own creation.

_Author's Note: I know there's no evidence of a brother in FFVII, but I just decided to make things interesting, as it's the only idea I could think of. :D_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters, nor am I making any money off this. I do, however, own the name Metei and his personality._

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He had no idea where he was going. The truth was, he didn't even know the slums that well at all. He had been ordered to dress in his 'scruffiest' clothes, as not to recieve too much attention. But today, things were different, and it was obvious to tell he was very nervous, as he almost tripped over several times. All he was doing was heading further along until he found someone he knew. After all, there were several Shinra employees wandering around the slums as spies, to check the progress of the area.

' Oi, watch it! ' a sharp voice echoed through Metai's ears. Realising he had crashed into an old man carrying important papers.

' S.. sorry, ' he replied absent-mindedly, not stopping to help him collect his papers back again, and hurried off, continuing his way. He heard the old man tut and mutter something, but he was too hazy to hear or even care what he had said.

Suddenly, he realised he had reached the end of the sector. Blinking in confusion, he shook himself and turned around. Picking out the first place he saw, he headed inside. It was.. a church? _Bah.. some luck. I pick a random place and I get this.. _he thought. But as soon as he entered the building, he stopped in his tracks as beautiful music reached his ears. Someone was singing, a female. It wasn't a proper song, just a random tune.. stepping further inside, he noticed there was one other, obviously the one singing. She was bending down, and dressed in pink robes, skirt-style. A basket lay beside her, filled with pretty flowers. Metai felt strange, like he shouldn't either be here or stay here.

' Uh.. excuse me, miss, but I'm, uh.. I'm looking for someone, ' Metai began, feeling kind of foolish. The girl looked up with surprise, and stood up to gain a better look at the trespasser. He now realised she was about the same age, a little taller. She blinked but then smiled, a smile that made the young warrior stunned. Suddenly, she backed away, her eyes now wide. Perhaps she had noticed the way his eyes glowed, as his uniform wasn't exactly the Turk uniform right now.

' You're from Shinra! ' she cried. ' Are you a Turk? '

' Uh.. well, not exactly.. ' he added, shrugging. He wasn't really lying, he wasn't a full Turk yet anyway.

' Well.. who are you looking for? Maybe I can help you. Oh.. are you alright? You don't look very well, ' she replied. Metai stared back, a little dumbfounded. This girl noticed a lot of things that a normal person from the slums wouldn't even see or care about.

' He looks like me, I suppose, but he's bigger and - '

A sudden rumbled made him stop talking. Clearly the girl didn't know what was going on either, because she stumbled backwards a bit. Suddenly looking up, she cried out. Metai snapped his neck back sharply to view what she was pointing at, when she suddenly pushed him back and he fell against the ground, the girl next to him. What happened next, he didn't really remember - perhaps he blacked out, as several parts of slates and other sharp objects came hurtling down from the roof. Coughing next to him, the girl stood up, but Metai was still trying to regain his senses. Once the dust had cleared, he realised that a body lay on the ground where everything had fallen. _Th.. through the roof? What the hell?_

' Oh! ' she cried, running over to the injured person. Metai also stood up, shaking the cobwebs from his trousers, when he froze again. The person.. he wasn't an ordinary person. This was him, again! _What the hell is going on here! _he thought wildly. He had spikey blonde hair, similiar to his own, and the deep blue eyes that they also shared. He was wearing the old SOLDIER uniform before they changed it a while ago, so Metai realised he must be an Ex- member.

' It's Cloud.. ' he mumbled weakly, his throat hoarse. And he thought seeing him on the _television _had been weird.

' Hello, hello! ' the woman was saying, softly, raising her ear to Cloud's neck. _And what is my brother doing falling through a church roof..? _' Are you alright? The flowers must have broken your fall.. '

She was right, Metai supposed. There was a great number of flowers and plants that circled the ground in front of all the stands, and his brother lay atop them, slightly moving his head.

' Where.. where am I? ' he asked, obviously just as confused as Metai was. His voice was deeper than his own, and sounded different, not as sharp but a little softer. The woman turned to me.

' Why.. it's uncanny! ' she exclaimed.

' We're brothers, ' Metai explained. People had always wondered whether they were twins, although it was obvious they weren't. They just looked similiar. She didn't ask that, though. She turned back to Cloud. Metai moved closer, and suddenly, after all the excitement he had felt before about meeting his brother he no longer felt. Now he just felt empty and blank now that he had actually caught sight of him in real life. But he wasn't a soon-to-be-Turk for nothing.

' ..Cloud? ' he began, stupidly. _What should I say!_ he asked himself wildly. Cloud raised a hand to his forehead and blinked, rubbing his eyes with his other hand. Realising where he was, he jumped up.

' Sorry, miss, ' he said to the woman. He shifted the dust off his trousers. She giggled. Cloud suddenly caught sight of Metai, as he froze, his hand in mid-flick. Metai felt sympathetic towards him. First falling through a roof, now meeting the brother he had never talked to in years. But it didn't seem like he was so happy to see him, anyway.. ' What! Metai? Is that you? ' he added uncertainly, as if he might be an imposter. He nodded hastily, feeling nervous, the writhing knot in his stomach not helping. ' What are you doing here? '

' I'm.. ' Metai began, but then shamefully lowered his head. Cloud was in AVALANCHE. Maybe he'd even attack him, but he hoped not. ' I'm.. in Shinra.. '

' You haven't answered my question, ' Cloud retorted. Metai smiled and looked down. Persistant as he ever was.

' I saw you on television this morning. You're in AVALANCHE? '

' No. Well, sort of, I guess. I'm actually a mercenary. '

' EXCUSE me, ' the woman said, but had an amused expression on her face.

' Oh, sorry, miss.. ' Metai replied.

' I'm Cloud. '

' Metai. '

' I'm Aeris, the flower girl. ' Cloud seemed to remember her from somewhere, as he nodded. Metai, however, had never met her in his life, obviously. He shifted uncomfortably. The two people in front of him were very dearly wanted by the Turks. _She must be pretty tough - although she doesn't look it - if she's escaped the Turks so far.._

' Wait - why do the Turks want you? '

' That's kind of a long story.. ah! '

The doors were opening once again, and a familiar character entered, followed by several soldiers. It was.. Reno. Reno had bright red hair, was very laid-back and was a Turk. Metai had respected him, but now he realised that the Turks had betrayed him. They hadn't let on at all that he was secretly against his own brother. He raised his head high, hoping to let him know of his indignance.

' Metai? What are you doing here, yo? ' Reno began, raising an eyebrow. Then he realised that Cloud was there too, and opened his mouth to continue. Metai wondered if he was going to apologise.

' Don't bother with any excuses, Reno. You knew he was in AVALANCHE, and you never told me! ' he replied, his voice getting louder. He felt awkward around Cloud, as they hadn't exactly had the chance to talk. But now he was feeling extremely overprotective about his older brother. Reno smirked.

' But if I had told you, you would have been distracted, ' he explained simply, grinning. Metai growled and raised a hand to unsheath his sword. However, he felt a soft hand against his arm. Turning to see Aeris, she seemed to have accepted the situation.

' Don't fight here! You'll ruin the flowers! '

And so, somehow, Metai, Cloud and Aeris were hurrying into the back room of the church, with a Turk and several guard soldiers behind him. _This day is just getting crazier and crazier.._


End file.
